Toyota Soccer Stadium

Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture

Toyota Soccer stadium is definitely one of the most beautiful football-only facilities in Japan. Though its capacity, at 45,000, is slightly less than that of some of the other grounds that were used for the World Cup, it is a terrible shame that this facility lost out on its chance to host matches. Even after the co-hosting decision had been made, surely Toyota should have been chosen over some of the other Japan-based venues. The reasons, mainly political, are discussed at greater length elsewhere on this web site.

In any event, Toyota Stadium is a magnificent place to watch a soccer match. Despite the pressure from local officials to continue using Mizuho Football Ground, Nagoya Grampus is gradually shifting more home matches to this facility. Movable roof panels in the end zone allow the stadium to be opened up on sunny afternoons, or covered over completely if it rains. The arched roof design on each side stand resembles the covered entrance to a traditional temple, and as the pictures on this page show, there is not a single bad seat in the house.